Quote:
Originally Posted by Charmer
At first as the the little shecat stood up, Shinefang felt hope flare within him. But when Oakpaw went to put weight on her leg, she crumpled to the ground. It was so fast, he had no time to catch her, and for a long moment he sat there in silence and sighed. He couldn't put it off any longer now. There was still time for something to change in her condition, but the bones in her paw were no good now and there was a chance they never would be. As the apprentice stared at the ground, Shinefang placed a paw on her shoulder and spoke to her in a voice more soft and gentle than most cats every heard from him. "I'm sorry, Oakpaw. I think that the monster crushed the small bones in your foot. They're too small for me to set them properly. The tingling and numbness might improve overtime, but your paw is going to be twisted like that for the rest of your life." The grizzled old tom closed his eye, shame washing over him. Poor Oakpaw had an old, untrained fleabag for a medicine cat, and she would pay for that forever. "I'm so sorry," he said again.
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As Shinefang confirmed her fears, Oakpaw squeezed her eyes shut and clawed at the ground. If only she hadn't been so stupid! What was she thinking, waltzing up to the Thunderpath like an untrained apprentice? Stupid! Stupid! What would Magnoliawool say? Oakpaw looked up at the den entrance as if Magnoliawool were about to walk in at that moment, but nothing happened. Oakpaw looked over at the medicine cat. He looked just as upset as her about this. She opened her jaws to speak, but the words she had formed in her head began to cloud and disappear. There was nothing to be said. Letting out a small sigh, Oakpaw laid her head on her paws. The same image of her mentor kept coming back to mind until Oakpaw felt sick to her stomach with worry. What would she say? What could she say? Oakpaw sheathed her claws on her good paw, and looked up at Shinefang. "What will you tell her? My mentor?"